Analysis of the Clinical and Histopathological Patterns of 100 Consecutive Cases of Primary Cutaneous Melanoma and Correlation with Staging

BACKGROUND This study analyzed 100 consecutive patients with primary cutaneous melanoma over the course of 13 years to determine whether epidemiological differences correspond to different stages of the disease. We also investigated whether epidemiological characteristics affected the survival rate. Our results were compared with those of selected descriptive studies of melanoma in other East Asian populations, in order to determine whether cutaneous melanoma patterns are similar in East Asian populations. METHODS The patients' medical records were reviewed retrospectively, and we analyzed the relationship of epidemiological characteristics to staging and survival rate. Additionally, papers from Hong Kong and Japan describing these phenomena in East Asian populations were subjected to a statistical comparison. RESULTS The ratio of males to females was 1:1.8, and the foot was the most frequent tumor site (49%). Acral lentiginous melanoma occurred most frequently (55%). Nodular melanoma was associated with a higher stage. Stage III-IV tumors with Clark levels of IV-V were significantly associated with a low survival rate. A statistical analysis of comparable papers reported in Hong Kong and Japan showed similar results with regard to age, tumor location, and histopathological subtypes. CONCLUSIONS This study provides the first full epidemiological description of 100 consecutive cases of primary cutaneous melanoma in Korea, with results similar to those observed in other East Asian populations. Corresponding to previous findings, nodular melanoma tended to occur at a higher stage than other types, and tumors with high Clark levels and high stages showed a lower survival rate.